This thesis paper is the first comprehensive study dedicated to the history of collections of Chinese porcelain in museums of Ukraine, development of the criteria of attribution and reattribution, and identification of works of Chinese porcelain, the analysis of artifacts from The Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko National Museum of Arts and The Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art collections.
It has been studied that porcelain items in China were used as goods and export products, ritual objects, household utensils, interior decoration elements, components of tea ceremony and calligraphy sets, as well as valuable art pieces and collectible objects.
Common and distinctive features regarding the perception and use of Chinese ceramics in Iran, Western Europe and Ukraine have been provided. Moreover, the history of the museification of Chinese ceramics, which began with ‘rooms of wonders’, kunstkammers, ‘porcelain’ and ‘lacquer’ rooms has been clarified.
The history of Chinese Studies in Ukraine and papers of Ukrainian scientists, which mention Chinese ceramics, have been studied. The role of private collectors of the 19th–20th centuries and their educational mission in the formation of future domestic collections of Chinese art and porcelain has been noted.
Using the Khanenko Museum collection as an example, it has been suggested to divide the history of the study and exhibition of Chinese ceramics in Ukraine into four stages: the late 19th – the early 20th century; 1920s–1950s; 1950s–1990s; 1990s–2020s. This periodization makes it possible to gradually highlight the specifics of the perception of Chinese ceramics and the ways of their demonstration within Ukrainian private homes and museums.
The accounting and reference and inventory documents have been studied, which helped to find out the data on the origin of most of the works of Chinese ceramics from the Khanenko Museum collection. Having conducted a scientific research, Chinese porcelain collection in this museum is conditionally divided into three groups depending on the sources of receipt of art objects: 1) art pieces purchased by Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko’s; 2) objects donated or sold by collectors and private individuals; 3) items transferred from other museums.
It has been found that The Odesa Museum of Western and Eastern Art oriental collection was to the greater extend created on the basis of exhibits transferred from other museums, as well as those that came from private collections of Odessa in 1920s–1930s.
Proper names, titles, terms and concepts (more than 100 items) associated with Chinese culture and ceramics have been introduced into scientific circulation. It has been suggested to use authentic Chinese names for designations of forms, color schemes, ceramics decor and other related concepts.
The experience of scientific developments of Ukrainian and foreign scientists in the field of Chinese art and ceramics has been summarized. On the basis of these papers, the history and artistic features of Ming and Qing Chinese porcelain has been characterized in the context of the political and cultural situation in China.
The main discussion terms related to the topic of the study, including: ‘porcelain’, ‘Chinoiserie’, ‘Occidentalism’, ‘Européenerie’, ‘zhongwofen’, ‘original’, ‘copy’, ‘counterfeit’ has been revealed.
The key approaches and features of the study and attribution of Chinese porcelain artifacts have been considered. It has been accented that the identification of art pieces of Chinese ceramics consists of comparing the studied object with an analogue recognized as an authentic, reliable sample, and identifying signs of kinship between them. It has been noted that the attribution of Chinese porcelain includes many aspects: establishing the origin of the object and taking into account previous studies; visual analysis of the art piece paying attention to marks and other signs; determination the shape of the vessel, the manufacturing technology, the color of the glaze or painting; finding out the intended use of the object; description of painting and themes of images, iconography and symbolism of images.
A set of features, which helps to classify and systematize products of Chinese porcelain, has been suggested: by the time and place of creation; by material (ceramics, stoneware, porcelain); by the shape of the vessels; by the decor production technology, color scheme and additional decor; by the socio-cultural purpose (cult, ritual, utility, decorative ceramics) and sphere of life (for the imperial court, for the domestic market or for export); by functional purpose (kettles, bowls, plates). The further step is the analysis of the drawings on porcelain.
A visual study, attribution or reattribution of more than sixty objects of Chinese porcelain has been conducted.
